Clematis plant named &#39;Evipo027&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Clematis  plant with a compact growth habit, profuse, pink flowers, and continuous summer flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation commercial nursery culture. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation from vegetative cuttings.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Genus.—Clematis

Species.—viticella

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Evipo027’

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematisplant which originated from a controlled crossing between the femaleseed parent, an unnamed seedling, and the male pollen parent, anun-named seedling. Both parent varieties are non-patented varieties.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 1997 and the resultingseeds were planted the following winter in a controlled environment inGuernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. The new variety named‘Evipo027’ originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new clematis plant may be distinguished from its female seed parentand male pollen parent by the following characteristics. The female seedparent has flowers which are 120 mm in diameter, while the new plant hasflowers which are 145 mm in diameter. The pollen parent starts to flowerin May while the new plant flowers earlier, typically in April.

The objective of the hybridization of this clematis plant was to createa new and distinct variety for nursery culture with unique qualitiessuch as:

1. Uniform and abundant pink flowers;

2. Vigorous and compact growth, making the variety suitable forcontainer culture; and

3. Improved disease resistance.

This combination of qualities was lacking in clematis plants that werein commercial cultivation and the qualities have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety.

‘Evipo027’ was selected by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison intheir clematis development program in the Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom in 1998. Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo027’ by means ofvegetative cuttings and traditional layering was first performed byMogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in the nursery during the summerof 1998. This initial and subsequent asexual propagations havedemonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo027’ are true to type andare transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Evipo027’.Specifically illustrated in the drawing are flowers at various stages ofdevelopment, flower in parts, leaves, and stems. Plants shown are 2years of age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo027’, as observed inits growth throughout the flowering period in open air culture inYamhill County Oreg. Observed plants were cultivated for a period of 18months in 2 liter containers. Certain phenotypical characteristics ofthe variety may vary under different environmental, cultural, agronomic,seasonal, and climatic conditions. Color references are made using TheRoyal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001, exceptwhere common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, physical characteristics of the clematis variety‘Evione’ described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,222 issuedFeb. 3, 1998 are compared to ‘Evipo027’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Evipo027’ ‘Evione’ Flower diameter 145 mm 130 to 180 mm Generaltonality of Red-Purple Group 70 Purple Group 76A with Red- flower colorB, blend of Red- Purple Group 71A central Purple Group 71A and bar. 71Bcentral bar

-   Flower and flower bud:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Recurrent. The natural flowering period is            generally from April to September.        -   Flower bud.—Size: Normally 35 mm in length. Bud diameter is            17 mm. Bud form: Broad based. The base is rounded, apex is            acute. Bud color: Yellow-Green Group 144B. Texture: Lightly            pubescent.        -   Peduncle.—Surface Texture: Smooth. Length: 25 to 45 mm.            Width: 2 mm. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A. Strength:            Strong.        -   Receptacle.—Surface Texture: Smooth. Shape: Funnel. Size: 1            mm (h)×4 mm (w). Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A.        -   Flower arrangement.—Location on vine: New and old growth.            Borne: Singly, and from axillary buds borne at the base of            the peduncle. Aspect: Flowers are oriented upwards.            Overlapping: Somewhat.        -   Flower bloom.—Size: On average, flowers are 145 mm in            diameter and 20 mm in depth. Profile: Open flowers are flat            on the upper surface, and concave underneath. Fragrance:            None. Lasting Quality: Flowers normally remain 6 days on the            plant.        -   Tepals.—Color, Upper Side: Red-Purple Group 70 B with a            central bar which is a blend of Red-Purple Group 71A and            71B. Color, Lower Side: Red-Purple Group 76B with a central            bar Yellow-Green Group 145C. Color, changes: After the            flowers have been open for about 5 days, the upper surface            becomes Red-Purple Group 75A with a central bar Red-Purple            Group 77A. The lower surface becomes Red-Purple Group 76B            with a central bar Green-White Group 157D. Quantity:            Normally 6 to 8 tepals. Size: 60 mm in length by 40 mm wide.            Shape: Individual tepal shape is elliptic. The tepal apex is            acute, the base is acute. Apex Recurvature: Strong to            moderate. Tepal Cross section: Reflexed moderately. Margins:            Entire. Strong undulations of margin observed. Persistence:            Tepals drop off clean from the plant.        -   Reproductive organs.—Arrangement: Open. Pollen: None            observed. Anthers: Size: 5 mm in length. Color: Yellow Group            4D. Quantity: On average, 85.Filaments: Color: Green-White            Group 157D. Length: 6 mm average. Pistils: Quantity: On            average, 35. Stigmas: Superior in location relative to the            length of the filaments and the height of the anthers.            Styles: Color: Green-White Group 157D Length: 11 mm.-   Plant:    -   -   Plant form.—Climbing.        -   Plant growth.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Size.—Seasons growth attains 3 meters in height. Average            spread is 45 cm.        -   Hardiness.—Trials to date show the variety hardy in USDA            Zones 4-9.        -   Stems.—Color: Juvenile stems are Yellow-Green Group 144A.            Mature stems are Greyed-Purple Group 183B. Internodes: On            average, 6 cm between nodes. Length: Normally 20 cm from the            base of the plant to the flowering portion of the stem.            Diameter: Normally 2 mm . Texture: Mature stems are lightly            pubescent and ribbed.        -   Plant foliage.—Leaf characteristics: Deciduous, ternate.            Arrangement: Trifoliate. Leaf Size: Compound leaves are            normally 120 mm (l)×110 mm (w). Leaflets are normally 55 mm            (l)×35 mm (w). Abundance: On average 2 leaves per 10 cm of            stem. Leaf Color: Juvenile upper Yellow-Green Group 146A.            Juvenile lower Yellow-Green Group 146B. Mature upper            Yellow-Green Group 146A. Mature lower Yellow-Green Group            146B. Stipules: Absent. Petioles: Size: Normally 50 mm in            length by 1 mm diameter. Texture: Lightly pubescent. Color:            Yellow-Green Group 146B. Petioloule: Size: Normally 20 mm in            length by 1 mm diameter. Texture: Smooth. Color:            Yellow-Green Group 146B. Leaflet Shape: Somewhat cordate.            The apex is mucronate. The base is rounded. Margin: Entire,            with moderate undulations. Surface: The upper side is            smooth. The lower side is smooth. Thickness: Average.            Glossiness: Glossy at the undersurface. Upper surface is not            glossy.        -   Disease resistance.—Subject to any disease that normally            attacks the species. However the variety is more tolerant to            clematis wilt, Phoma clematidina, than some clematis.        -   Cold hardiness.—The variety is tolerant to USDA Hardiness            Zone 6.        -   Heat tolerance.—The variety has been found to be suitable            for climate conditions found in the American Horticulture            Society heat zone 7.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of clematis plant named‘Evipo027’, substantially as described and illustrated, due to itsabundant pink flowers with good keepability, attractive long lastingfoliage and compact growth, year round flowering under glasshouseconditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots,durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable fordistribution in the floral industry.